Is Your Liver Crying Out for Help? This One-Minute Quiz Will Tell You

Let’s face it: No matter how hard you may try, there is just no escaping the chemical toxins in the air you breathe, the water you drink and the soil your food is grown in.

Toxic overload is a real problem that can do serious damage to your health and make you feel fat, sick and tired. This occurs when your liver — your body’s primary organ of detoxification — just can’t keep up with the task of eliminating the toxins you’re exposed to on a daily basis.

Is your liver crying out for help? Take this one-minute assessment to find out. (Check all the boxes that apply to you.)

1. I often experience digestive discomfort or bloating after eating. ☐

2. I crave sweet, starchy or salty foods. ☐

3. I have struggled with attempts at losing weight. ☐

4. I often feel tired or lethargic and easily develop dark circles under my eyes. ☐

5. I have difficulty concentrating or staying focused. ☐

6. My moods fluctuate, and I often feel irritable. ☐

7. I’m prone to itchy skin or other allergy symptoms. ☐

8. I seem to catch colds easily. ☐

9. I experience unexplained headaches or other aches and pains. ☐

10. I have trouble falling or staying asleep. ☐

If you checked 2 or more of these boxes, chances are your liver is struggling to do its job, and if you don’t take action now, your health will continue to suffer and likely deteriorate. But it’s important that you understand what you’re doing to avoid causing yourself more harm than good.

“Detox” programs that promise to rid your body of toxins certainly are trendy, but are they as effective as their proponents claim they are? And for that matter, are they safe? You might be surprised to learn what I uncovered in my research.

Click here to learn the safe, effective way to support your liver in eliminating toxins and dramatically improve your health.

Detox Is Trendy, But Is It Healthy?

If you are feeling run down, lethargic, heavy, bloated, “foggy brained,” irritable or otherwise less than your best, you’re probably wondering what you can do to feel better. Maybe you’ve heard about detoxing and how it can help you lose weight, clear up brain fog and boost your energy. Perhaps you’ve also been told that it can clean out your liver, improve your immune function and make you look and feel younger.

And with an ever-increasing number of studies linking exposure to toxins to health problems ranging from cognitive decline to hormonal imbalances, it’s no wonder that detox is so trendy.

But what most people don’t realize is that doing detox wrong can actually magnify the risks these dangerous toxins pose! That’s right, cleansing can actually make your body “dirtier” or more toxic, and the implications for your health can be disastrous.

Please keep reading, because in the next few minutes, I’m going to give you all the details you need to know about how to safely remove toxins from your body, so you can look and feel great for a long time to come.

The Dirty Truth About “Cleansing”

You may know someone who had a bad reaction while detoxing, or perhaps you’ve experienced a bad reaction yourself. This might have included horrible headaches, digestive distress, fever…or worse.

Some people in the natural health world will tell you that this is just part of the process. They even have names for it. You might hear the terms “healing crisis” or “Herxheimer reaction.”

But that’s just a load of hype and spin. Let me explain what’s really happening…

Most toxins are fat-soluble, which means your body stores them in fat cells. This effectively helps to buffer the delicate tissues of your internal organs from the toxins’ destructive effects. It’s the job of your liver to metabolize these toxins and transform them into water-soluble derivatives for subsequent elimination from the body via stool, urine, sweat and respiration.

The problems start when an intensive, short-term cleanse or detox regimen begins to pull these toxins out of your fat cells at a rate that is far too rapid for the liver to keep up with. Once they are released into your bloodstream, these toxins can quickly travel throughout your body, triggering inflammation, wreaking havoc on your heart, brain and other vital organs, and making you feel miserable!

The Only Safe, Effective and Healthy Way to Detox

Safe and effective detoxification won’t cause a “healing crisis” or make you feel woozy from lack of nutrients. It won’t require you to drink strange concoctions or make dining with friends close to impossible. And it won’t interrupt your life by forcing you to plan your day around being constantly near a bathroom.

The two basic components of a healthy detoxification strategy are: 1) decreasing the amount of toxins you put into your body and 2) supporting your body’s natural detoxification and elimination systems.

Healthy detoxification happens slowly and continuously, never giving toxins the chance to settle in and wreak havoc on your health — and never overwhelming your liver with months or even years of toxic build-up all at once.

Step 2: Support your pathways of elimination. Make sure you’re getting enough fiber to ensure that waste moves through your intestines efficiently and increase your intake of water. A good rule of thumb is to consume at least half your body weight in fluid ounces of filtered water every day.

Step 3: Get moving. Many toxins are carried to the lungs to be eliminated in respiration. In addition, any type of sweating facilitates the release of toxins through the skin. So regular exercise, as well as non-active sweating in a sauna or steam bath, helps the elimination process via the skin.

Step 4: Consume detox-promoting foods. Many phytonutrients enhance the operation of the body’s natural detoxification systems. It’s also important to eat enough protein, as the liver uses protein to obtain the amino acids it needs to synthesize the master detox compound, glutathione.

Step 5: Take liver-supporting supplements like glutathione and milk thistle. Breakthrough research suggests that certain supplements, such as glutathione and milk thistle extract, can support healthy, complete detoxification and optimal liver function. These two are my favorites, but there are others that work great, too!

Glutathione: The Detoxifying Nutrient That Could Save Your Life

Glutathione is the most powerful antioxidant in your body. It’s found in every cell and plays a critical role in controlling inflammation, supporting your immune system and in facilitating removal of toxins. Research has shown that as glutathione levels increase in your body, so does the function of natural killer (NK) cells, a biomarker for increased immune health.[1]

However, glutathione levels can decline up to 50% below optimal levels as we age, and the consequences can be grave.[2] One study found that people with the lowest levels are much more likely to suffer a heart attack than those with the highest levels.[3] Additionally, roughly 1 in 2 Americans suffers from a reduced capacity of glutathione, which impairs the body’s ability to get rid of toxins.[4]

Since it’s nearly impossible to get enough glutathione from food for significant benefits, I recommend taking at least 50 mg daily of the superior reduced form of glutathione.

Milk Thistle: Glutathione’s Partner in Good Health

Milk thistle extract has been used for thousands of years to support liver health, and it remains one of the most effective herbs for liver cleansing and protection. It works by binding to toxins and quenching free radicals.[5] Milk thistle also supports healthy levels of glutathione and promotes optimal levels of detoxification enzymes in the liver, kidneys and intestines.[6,7]

Remarkable research has shown that silymarin, one of the key active compounds in milk thistle, supports detoxification by lowering oxidative stress in the liver associated with toxin metabolism.[8] This beneficial effect has even been used to reverse liver damage associated with acetaminophen (Tylenol®).[9]

Milk thistle has an excellent safety profile, and studies confirm that milk thistle can protect liver function and normalize elevated liver enzyme levels.[10,11] Based on what the research shows, I recommend taking a standardized milk thistle extract that provides 420 mg of silymarin daily.

The Easy Way to Start a Detox Plan That Works

By now, I hope I’ve convinced you of the importance of supporting your liver with a daily detox plan like the one I outlined above. I think you’ll be amazed by how quickly it will revitalize your health from head to toe. You’ll feel better, look better and have much more energy.

Even just making a few simple changes like eliminating plastic from your kitchen or increasing your water intake will go a long way. But one of the simplest, most effective and most convenient ways to help your liver out is by taking high quality glutathione and milk thistle supplements on a daily basis.

There are a lot of junk dietary supplements out there, however, so you need to be careful. In fact, I actually got so frustrated with hearing readers complain about the low quality and high cost of the so-called detox supplements out there that I decided to develop my own formula that is both effective AND affordable — so anyone can experience the benefits of daily detoxification.

As you may be aware, in addition to my work with Live in the Now, I run Stop Aging Now, a company that has been proudly making premium-grade supplements for over 20 years. Working with the company’s Scientific Advisory Board, I created a formula that combines 7 of the most powerful ingredients for detoxification known to science, including potent doses of glutathione and milk thistle.

My formula is called Synergy7®, and I designed it to be the best daily detoxification supplement on the market. It supports optimal liver function, balanced hormones and optimal overall wellness with a unique synergistic blend of ingredients — all in just 2 small capsules per day. (No messy powders, complicated protocols or restrictive diets.)

I take Synergy7 every single day without fail. Here’s why you should consider doing the same:

Safe, Gentle and Effective – Unlike harsh “cleanses,” which can disrupt your regular activities, Synergy7 is designed to be taken on a daily basis. It works by strengthening your body’s natural systems of detoxification to promote optimal digestion, immunity, hormone balance, weight loss and energy levels.

100 mg of Glutathione – Features the superior reduced form of this enzyme, which increases stores of super oxide dismutase (SOD) and fortifies the body’s antioxidant system.

526 mg of Milk Thistle Extract – This standardized extract provides 420 mg of silymarin, the dose shown in the research to support the liver in detoxification.

Joshua Corn – Editor-in-Chief Josh is a health freedom advocate and veteran of the natural health industry. He has been actively involved in the natural health movement for over 15 years, and has been dedicated to the promotion of health, vitality, longevity and natural living throughout his career. Josh has successfully overcome several personal health challenges through natural means, and believes that sharing information can empower people to take control of their health so they can solve their own problems and live life to its fullest potential. Josh is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Live in the Now. Additionally he serves as CEO of Stop Aging Now, a company that has been formulating premium dietary supplements since 1995. Josh is currently working on his first book about natural health, and is gearing up to launch the Live in the Now radio show. In addition to his work in the natural health field, Josh is an avid outdoorsman, animal lover and enjoys “living in the now” with his wife and two sons.

Copyright 2001-2017 LIVE IN THE NOW. All rights reserved. The content provided on or available through this site, including text, graphics, images and information, is intended for general informational and entertainment purposes only. It should not be construed as a substitute for medical or professional advice, diagnosis or treatment of any kind. Live in the Now makes no representation and assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of information contained on or available through this web site, and such information is subject to change without notice. You are encouraged to confirm any information obtained from or through this web site with other sources, and review all information regarding any medical condition or treatment with your physician. Your use of this website indicates your agreement to these terms.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your physician before using this product.

This website is partially supported by third party advertisers. Please note that any product advertised on this site is not specifically endorsed, recommended, validated or otherwise supported by Live in the Now.

Republishing of Live in the Now content without written authorization is strictly prohibited.